As part of a complete engine assembly, there is provided an oil pan beneath the engine block. Typically, the oil pan has a generally horizontal flange, depending walls, and a bottom. The oil pan is secured to the engine block, and contains lubricating oil for the engine.
A typical internal combustion engine oil pan was fabricated of a single piece of metal, and had side walls which were either vertical or slightly inwardly inclined, and also had front and rear walls which were either vertical or slightly inwardly inclined. Thus, the bottom of the oil pan was the same size, or slightly smaller than the flange of the oil pan which was used to secure the oil pan to the bottom of the engine block. Examples of such constructions are shown in Renault, U.S. Pat. No. 747,767 and Meyer, U.S. Pat. No. 1,989,816.
In later years, the oil pan was modified, having a first bottom which was at a relatively great distance from the flange, and a second bottom at a smaller distance from the flange; a wall extended between the two bottoms. As a result, there was provided at the rear a relatively deep well, and at the front, since the bottom was closer to the flange, the well was of lesser depth. Oil pan assemblies of the noted construction are disclosed in Heidacker, U.S. Pat. No. 3,724,599 and Hnojsky, U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,646. Such oil pans, having a relatively deep well at the rear and a relatively shallow well at the front are now widely used, and in many automotive engines, are provided as the standard oil pan construction.
These oil pans have a deficiency, however, that they are able to contain less oil pans of regular configuration, in which there was a single deep well.
Where it is desired, therefore, to provide an oil pan of greater capacity, where an existing engine is being modified or converted, the obtaining of an oil pan of suitable capacity presents substantial difficulties because of the fact that such oil pans are not available in the conventional automotive parts supply systems. Consequently, the problem of obtaining an oil pan of large capacity, for replacement of a conventional oil pan has existed without a satisfactory solution.